MAY IN MISSISSIPPI

Seems the month of May is a little like a teenage girl this year, beautiful and lovely one moment and cold and nasty the next.  Thankfully, all the rain we have received the last few weeks will prove very beneficial for all of us during the hot dry summer months.  Thanks be to God for every drop he has given us here in Mississippi.  I can't help but think of all the areas of the US west of the Mississippi we have traveled through the last couple of years which are in a state of drought. 

I'll share just a few pics from the beautiful Mothers Day weekend.  No pictures of Johnny's mom this time.  She wasn't feeling her best and not really up to the moment.  Nothing serious; just a painful visit from "Arthur Ritis."  One of those bad Ritis boys.  We took Mamaw out for lunch and enjoyed visiting with old acquaintances we had not seen for many many years.  I think she enjoyed it too, but maybe she enjoyed the yard work we did for her after lunch a whole lot more.  When Mamaw's yard is groomed and full of flowers she is one happy lady.  She has green thumbs and can almost grow a pencil.

 Coreopsis and daisies

Bluebird feeding her babies in the old house Johnny and I made and put up in Mamaw's yard many years ago.

This is Mamaw's back yard with the t-post from her old clothes line still visible.  I wish I had a clothes line in my backyard to dry sheets in the warm sun.  I'll have to work on that. 

We were watching the neighborhood cat as she crept up on our four-month-old puppy, Lulu.  Notice the Mockingbird easing up behind the cat.  Eventually the bird got close enough to pull the hair on her tail.  The cat leapt straight up and around and mama bird barely got away unscathed.

After a few minutes the cat got close enough to take a hair raising stand against Lulu.  Johnny was using brute strength to keep Lulu in check.  Eventually a bit of fur did fly and the cat made a hasty retreat.  Fun to watch the interaction.

 "That cat caused it.  I was just visiting Mamaw.  Now, don't I look innocent?"


Below is the baby Mockingbird the mama bird was trying to protect.  We didn't even know the nest was in the shrub until we trimmed the shrubs around the house and nearly destroyed the nest.  Mama Mockingbird was having a tizzy!

 A close look at Anthony Waterer Spirea.

Vetch blooms look like purple and blue knee socks hanging on a clothes line.  Granddaughter Sidney would love to have this many purple knee socks to wear with her rolled up pants legs.  Better still, if they had bling on them.

We had such a nice time visiting with Mamaw on Mother's Day.  I'm so blessed to have a wonderful mother-in-law to enjoy.  My mom went to be with Jesus so many years ago.  It's been so long, I don't so much miss her anymore.  It is more like I remember her and the things that remind me of her.  Sweet memories! 

MY FAMILY KNOWS ME!

What a family week this has been.  Church at Crossgates is always a great way to begin.  Singing to the Lord with 75 to 100 or your closest Christian friends and choir members is such a moving way to begin the week and the Holy Spirit really showed up this past Sunday.   Even though my mother went to be with the Lord many years ago, my mother-in-law is just about like my mother and we spent a nice day with her.  Everybody brought a dish for lunch with folks eating in the dining room, living room, den and back porch.   Yum, yum!!!

Isn't Mamaw a precious little lady?  87 years young.  Her thumbs are so green, she could make a pencil grow. 

Johnny and our three girls were spot on with the Mother's Day gifts for me this year.  It was almost like they all got together and decided on a theme - gardening Nonnie.  I got cut flowers in a cute little antique jar type vase, an old fashioned hydrangea (love, love them!!!), a garden smoker from Germany, and stepping stones with Baker and Sidney's hand prints in them.  I spent all day Monday getting the hydrangea planted and mulched so I could place the stepping stones.  Then to bed at 8:15.  The shovel really did me in. 

This picture does not show how cute those little hands are, but trust me, precious!

Is that the cutest little garden smoker you ever saw?  Even the mouse he is holding is cute.


SISTER TIME

Tuesday and the sore back and achy muscles were all better, well mostly.  Anyway, cleaning had to get cranked up because my sister was coming.  Haven't seen her in almost a year and she would be here in a few hours.  She and my favorite brother-in-law (don't tell my other one) were driving in from Florida on their way to Oregon - remember we drove up there last year.  They will be in an RV - a big one - and we were in a small SUV and tent.  Anyway, I was excited.  When we get together we are like two silly, teenage girls, all giggly and talking on top of one another non-stop.  The fav BIL and Johnny just look at us and smirk at each other.  They know how it will be until they drive off again. 

You would have to hear my sister talk sometimes to understand this next little story, but I will try to give it to you straight up.  On their way into Mississippi, Sis called and asked if I could find a place where" they could adopt a donkey.

"What did you say??  A donkey??"

Following much laughter on both ends of the phone, it was established that she wanted to adopt a dougy.  That would be a doggy to us plain old southerners.  She is married to a yankee and they live in Florida.  Her accent is all messed up on certain words.  Doggy being one of them.

Wednesday we did something we had never done before, we went to the Pelahatchie Animal Rescue League and rescued the most adorable, lovable "dougy" for my sister.  Their canine companion of 14 years, Rocky, passed away earlier this year and the one that was left behind, Bella, just could not stand being left alone without her faithful companion.  So another doggy friend was introduced.  Much to everyone's amazement the intro was an instant success and the "donkey" adoption was complete. 

We shall not speak of all the hoops we jumped through during the day to make it all happen.  The problem - making the deal in one day, were from out of state, were traveling across the country and would have homes in both corners of these United States.  It was hard and took all day emailing, phoning, and faxing information and then driving to the edge-of-never.  All I can say is that they were very thorough, professional, and wonderful to work with.  The kennels were exceptionally clean and all the animals looked very healthy and well tended to.  If you ever get a chance to make a donation, please do.  If you can give a pet a home, this would be a good place to look for one.   Pelahatchie, of all places.

The beautiful black, part-Lab new family member will be called Maggie - named for Magnolia since she was acquired in Mississippi, the Magnolia State.  She is so loving and well behaved even as the entire family just clattered and carried on all at the same time.  Maggie had never been anywhere except the shelter from the day she was born.   Everything was new to her, even going up and down steps.

Amber is petting Maggie and Bella is watching the kids play. 

All of us.

Maggie's tail never quit wagging.  I think she understoods just what a lucky "donkey" she is.

Maybe you should go get you one.